Sovereign of the Ashes

Chapter 659: Unequal Collaboration

Verdant Leaf World was modest in size, its dimensions a mere third of Thunderfall World.

This dendro elemental microplane was predominantly ocean.

The territory that Sein and the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Army must conquer was even smaller.

Given the size of this microplane, the army had opted for a strategic advance from west to north, and eventually to the east and south.

This route was chosen due to the distribution of the dominant inhabitants—the Bamboo Leaf Dragonfly Clan resided primarily in the eastern and southern regions of Verdant Leaf World’s main continent.

This area was also home to the plane’s guardian and three demigod-level creatures.

In contrast, the western and northern regions were less densely populated, comprising vast expanses of primitive forests.

Here, the most significant threats to the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring were two demigod-level plant creatures. However, they were located in the far west and north.

Not only were they difficult to mobilize, but they were also far inferior to the Bamboo Dragonfly Clan in terms of their ability to mobilize troops for battle.

Given the individualistic nature of plant creatures, unlike the collective Bamboo Leaf Dragonfly Clan, those regions were naturally easier for the Magus World Army to conquer.

The primary challenge here was the dense forest, which complicated tactical deployment for the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

However, since over ninety percent of the plane was forested, similar challenges would arise in any campaign directed east and south.

By targeting the tougher, more populated areas later, the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring aimed to systematically reduce the plane’s defenses, simplifying their ultimate conquest of Verdant Leaf World.

***

Advancing toward the western part of Verdant Leaf World proved challenging, not due to the knights and mages’ inability to adapt to the terrain, but rather because the aquatic races of Magus World struggled outside their natural seawater environment.

It was no surprise that although there were so many aquatic races in Magus World, Sein had never heard of any instances where the divine towers had collaborated with them.

In their native oceanic realms, the Magus World’s aquatic races could perform remarkably.

However, the diverse environments of the Astral Realm often exceeded their adaptive capabilities.

Their specialization in aquatic environments was both an asset and a limitation, which explained why, throughout the history of the Magus Civilization, these races were eventually sidelined, enabling terrestrial Magus World humans to dominate.

Fortunately, the centaurs and minotaurlings were well-suited to the forested environment of this world.

To date, the centaurs had identified twenty-three types of edible cash crops in abundance.

The mages from the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring had cataloged even more resources, discovering 273 species of plant foods suitable for mass cultivation.

Additionally, they identified fifty-four species that could provide substantial amounts of meat, of which thirty-two were insect creatures.

One of the primary motivations for the centaur tribe’s involvement in this interplanar conflict was the promise of large quantities of grain.

The scale of grain needed was not just a few thousand tons but nearly a third of this world’s grain reserves.

Such a bounty would enable the Maya Tribes to recuperate from their wartime losses and expand their territories.

The demands of the Magus World’s aquatic races were somewhat higher; they sought not only food but also a modest payment in magicoins.

So far, Lorianne had yet to reach an agreement with these races regarding their compensation.

Pre-war discussions within the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring suggested a preference to compensate these races with special ores and other resources from Verdant Leaf World’s oceans.

The eventual assembly of a troop of three hundred thousand-strong from these aquatic races, ready to join the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring was a clear testament to the compromise they reached.

***

Despite some challenges caused by the terrain and environment, the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring Legion was progressing smoothly.

Two months into their campaign, the troops led by Sein had penetrated deep into the western sector of Verdant Leaf World.

His unit was just one segment of the three hundred thousand-strong westward advance, which included aquatic races, centaurs, and fifty thousand newly catalyzed plant creatures.

Sein also knew that over the past two months, several hundred thousand additional troops had entered Verdant Leaf World.

The Rank Three grand mages at the fortress base had decided to divide their forces, launching a simultaneous northern offensive.

Although Sein was only a Rank Two mage, his status as the tower master's apprentice granted him a role in the strategic discussions of the Rank Three grand mages.

This two-front strategy highlighted the formidable strength and confidence of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring.

Sein was well aware that two hundred thousand plant creatures had yet to be deployed to the battlefield.

Currently, only one hundred thousand had been catalyzed in this microplane, despite Lorianne having prepared an army exceeding three hundred thousand before the war.

This legion, currently in seed form and under the control of the divine tower mages, was held in reserve to defend against potential counterattacks from the Bamboo Leaf Dragonfly Clan.

Another explanation for this strategic decision was that to the mages of the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, the lives of centaurs, minotaurlings, and lesser aquatic creatures were deemed less valuable than the plant legions cultivated by Tower Master Lorianne.

It was a profound irony that a creature’s life was priced cheaper than that of plants.

Yet, from a practical standpoint based on cost analysis, this valuation was an undeniable fact.

The vast population of the lesser aquatic races meant their casualties did not require compensation from Divine Tower of Verdant Spring, provided the promises made at the war’s conclusion were honored.

The agreement with the centaur tribes was even more straightforward—in exchange for their obedience, the Divine Tower of Verdant Spring would only need to deliver one-third of the edible resources from the plane. Even if every centaur were to perish, it was none of the divine tower’s business.

It was a starkly unequal collaboration, yet all parties appeared satisfied thus far.